Here’s a post on a subjective topic: saddles. We’ve discussed them in the past, and it always seems to be a topic of interest. This time around, I want to know what kind of saddle you’re riding, and what you think of it.
This idea was suggested by our regular guest poster, Jeff Hemmel, who reviewed the Bontrager Inform a couple of months ago — and has now fallen out of love with it. Likewise, a saddle I once liked, the Specialized Alias, now sits on a shelf in my garage, and the one that replaced it — the San Marco Selle Ponza — is okay, but not super.
So we’re curious. Have you found a dandy saddle that you can ride comfortably for long distances? Would you recommend other riders try out a saddle like the one you have?
Here’s my request: Send me an email with the make and model of saddle you ride. Tell me a little about its strong points, and/or its weak points. In other words, provide a mini-review of your saddle. If you want to send along a picture, that would be wonderful. I’ll compile the submissions, and feature the results in a future post.
I pretty much ride what I got, which means everything from vinyl-over-foam seats to the Brooks B72 that came on my Raleigh DL-1. I seem to have a tolerant butt because they all feel comfy to me.
I don’t want to preach. I’m just going to say I ride a recumbent.
SMP Strike if it is not your bottom you are worried about! Your bottom will get used to saddles, the other thing too, but you don’t want that. http://osmosno.com/LINGAM_SADDLE.html
I ride either an old Selle Italia Turbo or Turbomatic. I rode a Turbo when I started more serious cycling in the 80s and have stuck with it. It is the right combination of width, padding, and curvature. The Turbomatic is especially comfy…
I ride the stock saddle cuz I can’t afford a new one. But someday … a fine Italian model will caress my backside.
I hope she brings a new saddle with her.
Well, following instructions is not my strong suit! Instead of an e-mail about my saddle choices, I ended up writing a post. You can see it at http://springfieldcyclist.com/2009/09/25/of-saddle-choices/
My favorite of all time so far has been the Fi’zi:k Aliante Ti. I loved this saddle. However, while visiting with my urologist on an unrelated cycling issue I mentioned that I ride a bike about 3-4 times a week. He highly recommended a saddle with a center channel cut out. I really tried to get a Selle Italia that I liked but they weren’t for me. I ended up with a Koobi PRS Alpha. I’ve grown to like the Koobi as much as the Fi’zi:k.
http://www.koobi.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=2
Brooks B17 Standard leather saddle. I ride it with minimal padding on 50+ mile rides and no complains from me. My leg muscles get tired a lot sooner before my derriere gets uncomfortable. I am still in the break-in process, but so far so good.
I ride a Selle Italia “Ceverlo” model saddle. I picked it up at Austin-Tri after an alarmingly uncomfortable experience with the Bianchi stock saddle during a metric century several years ago. The Selle has treated me well, but I think that saddle comfort is also contingent on the type of pads in the short that you’re wearing.
-jbm
I recommend that once you find a saddle that works for you, stock up on a few because they will disappear as models change (the exception seems to be the Selle Italia Flite classic).
I have a Vetta SP saddle from the 90’s when I first started riding. Fits great, light and good looking. When they stopped making them, I started hoarding by scouring eBay. I now have about 12 of them, including 5 currently on my bikes.
I remember when Indurain and Armstrong used the same model saddle for years. Beats getting saddle sores, and it’s an expensive trial & error process.